A rare butterfly population explosion has been observed in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan province, one of only two places apart from Mexico where the spectacle can be observed. The ecological environment of the mountainous area and its high forest coverage rate provide an ideal place for butterfly breeding. The ecological spectacle takes place every year during late spring to early summer. Over 100 million of the stichophthalma butterflies in the nymphalidae or “jungle queen” family appeared suddenly in Yunnan in 2022. But the number was lower than previous years in a decline blamed on increased rainfall and lower temperatures.
